Update: Setting PATH via /etc/launch.conf does not work for shells logged into remotely via ssh (I assume because the sshd does not pass its environment it inherits from its parent launchd to the child shell.). - I will edited the answer accordingly.
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halloleoApr 14 '13 at 4:15

Great answer; You can simplify sourcing of the launchd environment as follows: eval "$(launchctl export)".
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mklement0May 31 '13 at 17:49

An easy way to edit /etc/launchd.conf is to just run sudo -e /etc/launchd.conf (if you are familiar with vi) or EDITOR=nano sudo -e /etc/launchd.conf (if you prefer a non-modal editor).
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patrix♦Aug 7 '13 at 7:01

Depending on your previous usage of the sudo command, you may get a short "be careful doing what you're doing" message, but either way you'll need to enter your password. All the command does is move the file to the /etc directory, which is not directly accessible when saving a file in TextEdit, for example. sudo (short for "Super User DO") is used because Administrator privileges are needed to write to that directory.

Thanks for the details, but the question was not about ways how to modify launchd.conf, but rather about how all applications get the same PATH variable in a unified way.
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halloleoAug 6 '13 at 11:36

Right, but I originally searched for the question trying to figure out how to set the PATH for my GUI apps, and I figured I'd help out whichever poor souls might not know how to effect the change...
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MattDMoAug 6 '13 at 11:49

You have a valid point here; still, I think integrating your information in the answer is the better option. - I think this comment thread becomes a meta discussion, so I've opened it on meta.stackoverflow as What to do with an additional answer...
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halloleoAug 6 '13 at 22:48

1

actually, shouldn't this have been on meta.apple.stackexchange.com?
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MattDMoAug 6 '13 at 23:01

Indeed, meta.apple.stackexchange.com would've been the correct place. I just didn't know that it exists...
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halloleoAug 7 '13 at 2:09